Checkrein attachment



(No Model.) Y

A. G. WILLIAMS.

GHBGKREIN ATTACHMENT.

Patented Nov. 24, 1896.

. 4 v 3' l b i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AHIJAII C. IVILLIAMS, OF JANESVILLE, IVISCONSIN.

CHECKREIN ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 571,987, dated November24, 1.896.

Application filed June 24, 1896. Serial No. 596,707. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AHIJAH O. WILLIAMS, of the city of J anesville, inthe county of Rock and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Gheckrein Attachments; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in checkrein attachments forharnesses, the construction of which, mode of attachment, and method ofoperation are set forth in the following specification, reference beingmade to the accompanying drawings, through the figures of referencemarked thereon, which are herebydeclareda portion of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view showing my device complete inplace upon a harness and the same attached to the lines which form theoperating medium. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing my device as attached toand operated by a separate strap. Fig. 3 is a buckle placed upon thelines by which to attach the snap 9 and is of such formation that itdoes not require holes for its attachment, but may be placed anywhereupon the line and may be easily and instantly placed or removed withoutmutilation to said line.

The object of my device is to provide a means whereby the checkrein,when the same is in operation upon a horse, may be regu lated as totension or length, whereby the horse may be made to hold its head higheror more steady, as the nature or peculiarity of the animal and thecircumstances require.

The device is intended more particularly as an equipment forrace-horses, as many of them are less liable to break, will throwfarther, therefore travel faster,and also travel more steady if wellchecked.

It is a well-known fact that, as a rule, highbred race horses are verysensitive and moody, the same treatment not always producing the sameresults with them, and as the manner in which they are checked is a veryimportant matter it is desirable to have a device which can be operatedby the driver from his seat while the horse is traveling to govern thetension of the checkrein in such a manner as the judgment of the driverdictates. This being the object of my device, I proceed todescribe thedetails of its construction and attachment.

My device consists of two levers 4, having an identical or commonfulcrum or pivotal point 5, which point 5 is upon the back-pad of theharness at or near the usual point of locating the check-hook, which.levers swing horizontally above the horses back and are so constructedthat the outer free ends may meet either in an anterior or posteriorposition. A short distance from the pivot 5 the levers are each providedwith'means to receive a snap 6, located upon the end of the checkrein'7, and into which said means aforesaid said snaps 6 are hooked. Fromthis point the levers are continued for a sufficient distance to givethe required amount of leverage, and which bear upon their outer ends aprovision or means for attaching a strap 8 or an equivalent. Said straps8 are provided at the opposite end to that which is attached to thelever with a snap or equivalent 9, which in turn is attached to thelines 16 through the medium of the buckle aforesaid and described aboveat Fig. 3, which is properly located back of the attaching-point of mydevice; but said form of buckle being old I do not claim the same as aportion of my invention, but describe the same and its application asbeing the means preferable by which to connect my device with the reinswhen the same is to be operated by the reins instead of the singlestrap. However, this method of attachment to said reins may be dispensedwith and the snaps 9 may be hooked into holes formed immediately in theline. By this means of attachment (shown in Fig. 1) my device isoperated by the reins. It may become desirable, however, to operate thesame by a separate line, in which case the arrangement shown in Fig. 2is employed, the special strap 10 being used for this particularpurpose.

The device is secured in place as follows: The pivot or fulcrum 5 islocated upon a bridge 11, which is a short piece of metal passing acrossthe saddle 15, to which is attached a loop or stirrup 12, projectingforward and passing down beneath the check hook, which holds the devicefrom slipping ICO or being pulled toward the rear. Extending to the rearis a clamp consisting of the two arms 13, pivoted at one end to thebridge 11 by means of a screw or rivet, and in the other end of one armis a set-screw 1%, while in the corresponding end of the other arm isformed a nut threaded to receive the set-screw 14, and by which meanssaid arms 13 are drawn and held together, and which said arms uponleaving said bridge are curved toward each other and also somewhatdownward. When brought together, they pass beneath the saddle. Theset-screw of the one arm is inserted into the receiving-nut of the otherarm, and by turning the set-screw into place said arms are caused toimpinge against the saddle and the device is held firmly in place. Acheckhook such as herein referred to, and also the saddle, being commonelements of any harness, the means of attachment shown and describedmake my device capable of attachment to any of the harnesses in commonuse. The bridge curves upward in the center to the pivot bearing-pointsufficiently that the levers are raised above and work free of thesurrounding portions of the harness.

In practical operation and when only an ordinary amount of tension iswanted upon the checkreins the levers 4 are inclined forward and theirends approach each other to the front; but when more tension is desireda pull either upon the lines 16 or the strap 10, as the case may be,causes the levers 4 to diverge and swing backward, drawing with them thethereto-attached checkreins 7, thus increasing the tension upon them andoperating to draw the head of the horse higher and hold the same moresteady. The divergence of the checkreins asthey are carried outward bythe levers is of advantage, as they thus serve as guys or guides tosteady the horses head, this point being particularly necessary with arace-horse.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- In a checkrein attachment, thecombination of two levers, pivoted and operating as shown,

provided with means of attachment to the back-pad, or its equivalent ofa harness, means of attaching the checkreins thereto, and means ofconnecting said levers to the lines or a single operating mediumspecially provided therefor, substantially as shown and described forthe purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AHIJ AH C. WILLIAMS. WVitnesses E. RAY INMAN, 001m B. NIELD.

